Bangkok, May 13 (IANS) India experienced a mixed day at the Thailand Open on Wednesday as P. V. Sindhu and Kidambi Srikanth advanced comfortably to the second round, while rising star Ayush Shetty bowed out after a spirited fight.

Former world champion Sindhu barely broke a sweat in her opening-round clash, dismantling Chinese Taipei’s Tung Ciou-Tong 21-9, 21-12 in just 33 minutes. The sixth seed controlled the rallies from the outset, mixing sharp placement with aggressive court coverage to seal one of her quickest wins of the season.

The two-time Olympic medallist, still searching for her first BWF World Tour crown since the 2024 Syed Modi International, will next face Denmark’s Amalie Schulz in a first-ever meeting between the pair.

Srikanth produced a polished display to move into the round of 16, defeating Singapore’s Loh Kean Yew 21-14, 21-15 in a rematch of the 2021 World Championships final.

The Indian, who lifted the Thailand Open title back in 2013, looked assured throughout and rarely allowed the eighth seed to dictate play despite a brief late challenge in the second game.

The former world No. 1 will now take on Chinese Taipei’s Su Li Yang for a place in the quarter-finals.

Ayush Shetty, however, could not sustain momentum against Japanese sixth seed Kodai Naraoka despite forcing the contest into a decider.

Entering the match with a favourable 2-1 head-to-head record, the Indian recovered impressively after losing the opening game, levelling proceedings at one game apiece. But the third game turned entirely one-sided as Naraoka tightened control with his trademark retrievals and relentless pace, racing away to a dominant 21-13, 17-21, 21-4 victory in 59 minutes.

Elsewhere, teenager Unnati Hooda stunned the home favourite, Pornpawee Chochuwong, with an 11-21, 21-17, 21-16 win.

Meanwhile, 19-year-old Anmol Kharb fell short to topple reigning champion Chen Yu Fei. After taking the first game and building an 11-2 advantage in the decider, the Indian could not halt the Chinese star’s comeback as Chen raised the intensity after the interval to clinch a hard-fought 19-21, 21-13, 21-18 win.

Elsewhere, Tharun Mannepalli’s campaign ended in straight games against Japan’s Koki Watanabe.

Later in the day, Lakshya Sen, Tanvi Sharma, Devika Sihag, Malvika Bansod and Isharani Baruah are scheduled to play in singles, while three Indian pairs are also set to compete in mixed doubles.

–IANS

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